Fighting Squadron 34 (VF-34)
United States Navy (USN)

Background
On February 13, 1944 U.S. Navy (USN) Fighting Squadron 34 (VF-34) was established at NAS San Diego with 45 pilots assigned, with only two pilots who had prior combat experience except Commanding Officer (C. O.) Lt. Commander Weber and Lt(jg) Kukuk who had served in the Solomon Islands. The squadron was transported by ship to Pearl Harbor on Oahu then aboard transport plane to Espiritu Santo in the South Pacific (SoPAC).

On Espiritu Santo VF-34 was independent of any air group and arrived without equipment until equipped with thirty F6F-3 Hellcats

Wartime History
On March 7, 1944 the squadron began their first tour of duty operating from Piva Yoke Airfield on Bougainville under Commander Aircraft South Pacific (COMAIRSOPAC). On March 8, 1944 Japanese artillery began shelling the airfield area and damaged two VF-34 Hellcats. The rest of the squadron managed to take off and fly southward to Barakoma Airfield on Vella Lavella to escape damage.

Between March 8, 1944 until March 19, 1944 the squadron was based at Barakoma Airfield but flew northward to Torokina Airfield on Bougainville to stage for missions. Meanwhile, the ground echelon remained on Bougainville and moved to Torokina Airfield to support the squadron when they staged. During this period, VF-34 pilots flew sixteen sorties flying familiarization missions then began flying Combat Air Patrols (CAP) and escorted PBY Catalina "Dumbo" missions over Bougainville, southern New Ireland, St Georges Channel and escorted bombers over Rabaul. During the entire tour of duty, the squadron never engaged in air combat against any Japanese planes and instead were used to strafe ground targets and small craft.

On March 19, 1944 the entire squadron moved northward to Nissan Airfield (Green) on Nissan Island (Green) where it operated for the reaminder of the combat tour.

On March 29, 1944 lost on a sweep over Rabaul is F6F Hellcat 40437 pilot Driscoll (MIA) the first casaulty from the squadron.

On March 31, 1944 lost on a barge sweep over New Ireland is F6F Hellcat 40682 pilot Ensign Charles R. Miller, (MIA / KIA, BR) the second casualty from the squadron.

On April 29, 1944 the squadron attacks "two enemy gunboats" that are actually PT-347 "Zombie" and PT-346 three miles inside the enemy demarcation line located at the northwest tip of the Gazelle Peninsula the northern coast of New Britain. Shot down by machine gun fire from the PT Boats firing in self defense was F6F Hellcat 09012 pilot Lt J. P. Knight (rescued).

Commanding Officers (C. O.)
Lt. Commander Weber

References
NARA War Diary Fighting Squadron Thirty-Four pages 1-9

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